The future is part of everyday life. Don’t think so? Do you deposit funds into a savings account or a 401K? You did that with an eye toward the future. You teach children for their current andfuture benefit. Ministry is the same. And that is how last week’s mission will reach beyond the time of our lives. So enjoy the update. And imagine how laying up your investments of prayer and support will become treasures in heaven. See, the future really is part of everyday life – if we take the time to see it.

The Future: A Promised Outcome

This picture was in a recent post. And I commented about the smiles. My prediction was those smiles would be duplicated many times over as we supplied more pastors with new study Bibles. But that prediction was easy to make.

I wish every reader could have been present to see the smiling faces. Those grins were worn by the recipients as well as by our Mission: Hope team members. It would have blessed you greatly to hear the thankful replies. Some were given with tears. We have shared on multiple occasions that some devoted servants of the Lord only have tattered and torn copies of the Scripture. So supplying Bibles has a current benefit. But it also has a future benefit for those ministers and their ministries. But it doesn’t stop there. God extends His reward to the ones who provided, worked on site, and the pastors who will spread the Word that never returns without accomplishing its intended purpose (Isaiah 55:11). So for all those reasons, we have cause to be thankful.

The Future: Sown Today

We got to have a graduation last week. It was awesome. And it’s a little bit like watching your garden grow. Seeds are planted. The soil is watered. And the plants pop up. The future holds tomatoes, peppers, melons, or whatever else one planted. We don’t know what God will do in the future ministry of the pastors and church leaders we get to teach and equip. But the graduation is like seeing those new spring plants – only better. We know that God is at work in all of us. And to borrow from a famous song, we can only imagine what He will do with the efforts we have given to Him.

We had a big surprise for the graduating class. Each graduate received their diploma anda new NIV study Bible. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, we had more study Bibles than graduates. We gave away every Bible we took – and we will be taking more for the next class session in the Fall. The need is still there. So if you’d like to help, and invest in your Kingdom rewards, please drop me a note.

Future: Grace Abounds

Giver & receiver – all smiles!

There was more to the week than teaching and graduating. And this part of our week is another one of those times I get to see God’s grace in action. His grace is still amazing, marvelous, and matchless. Grace was on display in our first worship service with our hosts. My dad was invited to preach. His prayer was for someone to hear and respond to God’s offer of grace. That prayer was answered. Salvation came to house of a young woman in the service. God is good!

But grace also came to another house. About three weeks ago I shared our intent to visit with Pastor Alberto’s family. We were able to take some funds to his widow. And that was a blessing. But it didn’t stop there. The person who made that initial donation for Alberto’s family had no idea what the future of their actions would be.

Another person saw that post. They contacted me. In response to that post they indicated they also wanted to help meet the needs of Alberto’s family. Their donation was larger than the first. Both donors laid up treasure for a heavenly future. And a family in need got to see God’s grace and provision in action. But it doesn’t stop there.

There are children in that family. We are helping to build their lives and all that will become of them. But there was another very important person with us when we made our visit. During a class break I met the young man who took Alberto’s place as pastor. In one conversation I learned the church had a new pastor AND that the pastor was a new student in the pastor training school. We took him with us to make the family visit.

Thank you for your prayers. And thank you for engaging in the ways you do. God sees, God knows, and His rewards are just a small part of what we will enjoy in our future with Him!

How could the name Trump possibly go with those other two? Before you scroll on, let me give you some other names and some food for serious thought.

Surprising and Unlikely

David was thought so ‘out of bounds’ by his family that they left him in the field when Samuel came to Jesse’s house to annoint Israel’s next king. After the kingdom fell, God used an unlkely man named Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem. But that happened because God used a pagan king named Artaxerxes to supply Nehemiah and send him back.

Nebuchadnezzar or Trump?

How did God take care of His people when they were in the Babylonian captivity? Four unlikely teenage boys, led by Daniel, took a stand for God. Who was that king? It was Nebuchadnezzar. God used that pagan king to promote those young men and help God’s people through 70 years of captivity. Cyrus was one of the kings Daniel served before Israel left Babylon. What does all this have to do with you, me, our nation, and the 2016 election cycle?

God is in charge and uses whatever means or persons He chooses to accomplish His purposes. The following article was in my email box this morning. I had planned to post something else for today. This article speaks for itself. I do not know the pastor/author. I don’t necessarily agree or disagree with everything said. However, it did spur some thoughts. Maybe it will do that for you.

Whatever else this article causes you to do or think, it should remind us all that prayer is vital as we face the election and its consequences. Perhaps we should be quicker to pray and slower to form opinions. I do know this, God is always at work. And His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

Soli Deo Gloria!

A Christian Pastor’s Analysis of the U.S. Election Drama

Is Trump good for America? I mentioned Sunday that I would speak on this next week. Unfortunately, I found that I was shoehorning this topic into my planned message. To properly present what I want to speak on Sunday, I may have to leave the Donald out of it! But let me take a minute for those that wonder and give some of my thoughts.

When I first heard that Trump (DT) was entering the race last year, I told my wife that perhaps it was a good thing for the party and America. I knew that he was not a “saint,” but I thought that he would be like a bull in a china shop. He is a disrupter and I believe America could use a fresh thinker especially in the political arena. I didn’t think he would get the nomination, but that he would shake up politics as usual. I was correct on the shaking up!

Lance Wallnau likens him to a biblical Cyrus. Someone who is dynamically used of God even though not perceived by many as a God follower. God has used many people in history that I would probably not like or agree with. I’m not sure I would have liked all the disciples, or David, or Moses. Somehow, God did not seem compelled to consult with me on His choices!

I have always admired Winston Churchill. He is seen as one of the greatest national leaders in the 20th century. Last year, I had the privilege of going through the War Museum in London. Winston is a key feature. His life is controversial. He was not always celebrated as a great leader. He was a bombastic, cigar smoking, at times crude, even misogynistic leader. It is alleged that he told off color stories to his children before bedtime! A woman once told him he was disgustingly drunk. His response was “My dear, you are disgustingly ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly!”

There are many websites that discuss the outlandish comments and activities of this great world leader. But, he had exactly what was needed to stop Hitler at the Channel, to rouse a nation to never give up and to partner with America to find final victory in Europe. You probably wouldn’t want him as your pastor, maybe not even your father, but he was the right leader for that moment in England’s history. Such a brazen man that would go up to the roof of his quarters in central London and smoke cigars as Hitler’s air force bombed all around him. I’m not sure I would have voted for him…. but he was the right man!

I think it would be awesome to have a righteous leader, one that understood the intricacies of the economy, health care, defense, immigration, with great sensitivity to religious institutions, a heart for the poor, a vision for the future. If that leader was a praying person, formidable in the word of God and loved the local church, I would rejoice! I do not think that is the choice we will have in November.

Instead….we will look for someone who is imperfect, yet will fit the times we are living in. Particularly, that ‘whoever’ we vote for, will be someone who might possibly have the opportunity to appoint up to three Supreme Court justices. That could radically shape our culture in America for the next 30 years. The America of our grandchildren could be very different….and that may not be good. We cannot stand on the sidelines.

A non-vote is a passive vote for a direction we may very well regret.

So…is Donald Trump good for America? I honestly believe that he has been already. He has shaken the political system. Do his comments offend me? At times! Do I agree with all he says? Not at all! But could he be a “Cyrus” being raised up by God to preserve America? Nobody liked Gen. Patton, but he sure WAS an instrument of the United States for the right things.

This I know. I will vote for the best chance for America. I will pray for our leaders as I have already. In the end – God will continue to be my source and my hope. I do believe that God has had a hand in America’s history. I hope and pray that He will also have a saving hand in America’s future!